A Caged Bird
by Usibaku
Summary: A strange girl is living in Akito's room. No one has ever seen here nor has she had any contact with anyone besides Akito. What happens when someone catches on to her existence? And the said someone finds out Akito's greatest secret; the canary. Haru x OC
1. Part 1 A Caged Bird

**Part 1**

**A Caged Bird**

Hundreds of years ago, animals that today represent the Chinese Zodiac gathered for a banquet in honour of their God. Everyone was there, the rat, the ox, the boar, the snake, the dog, the sheep, the monkey, the horse, the tiger, the rabbit, the dragon, and the rooster. It was a fabulous night, full of laughter and joy. Everyone was there except for the cat… Unfortunately the rat decided to play a cruel trick on the cat and told him that the banquet wasn't until the day after. The poor cat slept right through the event and thus was left out of the Zodiac. This haunted the cat through out his whole left and took it out on the other members. Since then the vengeful spirits of the Zodiac have possessed the members of the Sohma family. To forever be cursed.

No one knew however about the poor canary, the God was a selfish being and did not want any of the others knowing about the bird. He wanted her all to himself. Paranoid that the others would steal her away he refused to let the bird come to the banquet. So lonely and very upset she circled the banquet over and over again singing at the top of her lungs, hoping that someone, anyone would hear her. Today the Canary has possessed a girl named Aimi, and to this day she has no clue about the other members of the Zodiac. She is trapped, confined to the God's room never to leave.

Aimi Sohma sat with her back flat against the wall. Her fingers were tracing the outlines of the wooden panels. Her strawberry blond hair framed her face as she glanced up at the ceiling. 57 tiles, she had counted them many times. There was never anything to do here. Akito, the God of the Sohma family, was always too sick and Aimi was not allowed outside. She would never dare try and escape, it would cause too much trouble. It was too dangerous. Akito has taught her this, taught her to stay away from men, taught her to stay inside and stay safe. There was a window open across the room; Aimi was automatically drawn towards it. She crossed the room quietly and placed her hands on the window sill.

Slowly she pushed her hands out the window, into the glowing sunlight; she felt the warmth on them. Warmth she yearned for, something she dreamed about running through but, no. Aimi was not allowed out there, never. Sighing she withdrew her hands and shut the window with a snap. She looked through the window and placed her cheek on the cold glass. Akito was her guardian and Aimi loved her, she did. Yet sometimes she dreamed of life without her. Without restrictions a world where she could be free outside these walls. Those are only on her weak days, the days where Akito abuses her, only then do those awful thoughts flood her mind.

Aimi walked away from the window and sat in the corner, her corner. She didn't feel very well; a fever was threatening to take over her. It was hard to live with Akito and not feel sick from time to time. The poor god was cursed with so many aliments and it spread, like wildfire to Aimi, then and only then is she allowed to see a male. That had only happened once when she was little. By now the memory was gone and impossible to retrieve, like water in your hands; it just slips through your fingers. She smacked her head on the wall and she tried once again hopelessly to remember the doctor's face. It was no use; his dark eyes were the only things that stood out in the cloud that was his face in her mind.

Her eyes traveled across the room lingering on Akito's bed; there was only one bed in the room even though Aimi lived here as well. It was the god's idea to keep it hidden until night time to help keep Aimi a secret. Finally she saw the closet, countless times she was ordered to hide in the darkness of the closet until her company left. Every once and awhile when Aimi gets up enough nerve she would slowly open the closet. Only to get a glimpse of the person, by doing this she was able to get a fair understanding of the world outside. The name Tohru comes up a lot, Akito does not like this girl one bit. Also a man named Shigure visits often, so often that Aimi was seen once for a second before she got in the closet. Luckily Shigure didn't ask any questions…

She glanced back out the window searching for some sign of life. Once days ago she saw a boy walk by, it gave her such a jolt she pulled the blinds and sat in her corner but, she had already seen him. His hair was very unusual, a ghostly white on top and dark black roots underneath. His dark eyes sparkled in the sunlight… He seemed so bored, so unaffected by everything. For some reason Aimi felt an attraction towards this boy, it was hard to explain but, soon Aimi stopped hiding when she saw him. Instead she waited by the window just to get a glance of the strange boy. The canary couldn't find out why either. What was it about him?

Aimi brushed a piece of her blonde hair off her shoulders before staring at the ceiling once again. She needed Akito, without her it was boring. So very boring. She had no clue where she was. That was odd usually she tells Aimi when she's about to leave. Sometimes she thinks Akito mentions where's she going just to make her jealous but, again those were only on her weak days.

Aimi pushed herself to her feet. She was tired of sitting it was seizing up her muscles, her legs were never very strong, and she barely uses them and has little room for exercise. Luckily she doesn't eat much even though she was a growing adolescence. She used little energy during the day and as such didn't need the nutrition. She placed her hands on the window and saw to her shock the boy she was just thinking about. He was sitting under the cherry blossom tree. He looked surreal; his head leaned against the tree trunk and his eyes half closed. He looked like he was day dreaming. Aimi felt her face grow warm it was a strange feeling she was almost embarrassed to be watching him.

Suddenly he glanced up and caught her eye; his dull black eyes were filled with a gentle confusion. It was like he was interested but, didn't really care about the girl in the room. Aimi would usually run and hide in her closet like she has countless times before but, she didn't want to. She wanted to communicate with him, talk to him. How? How could she say hello? It wasn't as easy as opening your mouth and uttering those simple sounds; no this was much more difficult. She needed courage to talk to him, another human being besides Akito.

Akito! Akito would never allow this, not only was she watching a male she was actually thinking of talking to him. She shook her head a few times, no bad idea. Very bad. The god would be very upset; Aimi would never be able to handle her wrath. Despite her better judgment, Aimi opened the window slowly, her hands shaking, this was the strangest thing. She was scared out of her mind, how could a boy she likes so much strike so much fear into her. Maybe this was love? She loves Akito but, she also fears her above all else. She likes this boy but, fears him. Fears what he is and what he stands for; rebellion and freedom.

"W-Who're are... you?" Aimi's voice was quiet and strangely distant. It sounded strange to hear it somewhere besides her own head. It took her a few moments to figure this sentence out and yet it still sounded awkward. Why was it so hard talking to him? She kept her gaze on him, she was very embarrassed but, she couldn't look away from his eyes. This was the closest she has ever been to a male besides the doctor. The boy cautiously got to his feet. It took him only a few strides to arrive at the window. He looked up with her with a mixture of concern and blankness.

"I'm Hatsuharu, who're you? What are you doing in Akito's room? No one goes in there, unless of course they're in trouble… Are you in trouble?" This boy, Hatsuharu asked. All instincts told her to shut the window and run but, she couldn't bring herself to do that, she had already gotten this far. She glanced at the door to the room looking for a shadow of someone's feet or the sound of a voice. Nothing, wherever Akito was she was nowhere close. Hopefully. The thought of Akito catching her was frightening, she would be punished, the boy, Haru would be punished as well.

"Aimi, my name…is Aimi Soma." The canary told him in her quiet voice. She had never introduced herself before either. It was strange the normal ordinary everyday occurrences that everyone has were completely foreign to Aimi. She felt odd her head out the window speaking to this boy, almost like Romeo and Juliet or something else romantic. Yes, poor Aimi was a fool for the 'lovey dovey' stuff. It may seem lame but, to Aimi it was her only source of entertainment; to come up with outrageous scenarios in her head. Daydreams were all she had.

"I'm not in trouble…" Aimi hesitated; she was scared to tell him why she was there. She had already broken so many rules today, did she dare break anymore? Would it be pushing it over the edge? She gripped the window's edge as her mind debated. She bit her lip and glanced back at the door once again making sure no one would walk in.

"I… I'm not… I live… here." Aimi said slowly. She almost winced as the words passed her lips. Akito would be angry, very, very, angry. Hopefully she will never find out. Aimi felt herself relax; she had finally told someone what was going on in her life even though it wasn't much. It was more than she's ever shared. She felt an enormous pressure lift off her shoulders. The secret was out. The only question was; how far would it spread? "Please! You mustn't tell anyone! It's a … secret!"

"Sohma? In Akito's room? Secret?" Haru rambled a little. Obviously his mind was full of questions; Aimi didn't quite understand why it was such a big deal. What was this boy's relationship with Akito? A moment passed before he smiled slightly. "Secret's safe with me."

Haru held out his pinkie and Aimi automatically backed up half a step. This was one of the few normal customs she was familiar with. Her father taught her when she was just a little girl. She had caught him smoking when her mother had specifically told him not to and he held out his pinkie. He told her not to tell her mom. She didn't know what to do so he explained; 'you link you little finger with mine, this means you have to keep you're promise not to tell!' That was years ago and with her father, now a boy, a male was asking her to do the same. She knew there was nothing wrong with it, it was an innocent gesture. Akito's words were ringing through her head.

'Never come in contact with a man, they'll see you for what you really are.'

Despite all this, Aimi knew it would be rude and this boy wouldn't understand if she refused. So, slowly she outstretched her hand and linked her tiniest finger with his. This was the first time in a long time she ever made contact with another human. Aimi was stiff and rigid; she didn't waste time retracting her arm after the connection was made. She stared at her hand; she knew that from this point on her life was going to be better. Or she hoped, she hoped that the boy wouldn't be scared away by her, she was after all very strange.

"Thank you, please be careful around here, Akito-sama has a very bad temper." She could feel it, her voice was becoming stronger and her sentences more fluent. Just talking to him was rebuilding her strength. She felt a smile appear on her lips, she smiled so warmly at him. Something she had never done before. "I wish you could stay longer, but, I have no clue when Akito-sama will return. It would be safer, if you… left."

"I suppose so." Haru said with an air of carelessness. He took a step back before smiling slightly. "I'll return tomorrow."

Aimi felt a pain in her heart as she watched Haru walk away. It was the first time she had made any real contact with any male human being. He said he would return tomorrow. Aimi had no choice but, to trust him. Hopefully he would be smart about it and come at a time that Akito was out… Would Akito even be leaving tomorrow? Filled with worry she closed the window and returned to her little corner. Just in time too, not three seconds later Akito opened the door.


	2. Part 2 The Doctor

**Part 2**

**The Doctor**

Haru was true to his word. The next day, when Akito stepped out, she heard a gentle knock on the window. She hurried and opened the window. Aimi had been thinking about him every since she saw him sitting under that cherry tree. She was pretty sure that Akito noticed her change in attitude. Ever since she smiled at Haru a small smile stayed on her lips the rest of the night. As she saw Haru staring up at her she felt the same warm smile back on her face.

"I brought food." Haru said, Aimi tilted her head. That was odd… Or was it? Did people usually bring food to girls in windows? He lifted the box up and Aimi saw some dough on a stick. "It's called odango."

Aimi grabbed one and slowly took a bite. It was really good, it tasted really sweet. Something Aimi wasn't used to, Akito didn't have much of a sweet tooth. She smiled at him in thanks and took another bite. This was officially her new favourite food.

"Thank you. This is really good…" Aimi said before eating some more. She continued to smile happily. Haru just had this aura about him, it just made her feel happy. It was like he was the sun. He was so bright, it warmed her just to look at him. Even when he left, the memory of him could glow, and almost nothing could extinguish it. Except for Akito… Only Akito could bring the darkness back into her life…

Haru couldn't stay long, Aimi told him that Akito would be back in a few minutes. They talked for a little bit, about everything but, Akito. It was a much deserved break. Aimi's whole life revolved around her, to talk randomly gave Aimi strength. Before Haru left he reached up and placed his hand on her forehead. Aimi flinched but, relaxed when she remembered that Haru didn't want to hurt her.

"You're a little warm… Your face is red too. You should rest." He smiled and walked away. Aimi felt her face burn red, she went back inside and sat in her corner. She touched her forehead. She sat like that for awhile. So long that the sky turned red as the sun began to set. Akito had returned home in a very bad mood. Something had obviously happened, Aimi didn't ask, she knew that it was better to leave her when she was like this.

As the night fell Aimi pulled out her bed and placed it next to Akito's. She was silently trying to make her feel better. Make her realize that someone in her life still loved her. She fell asleep almost at once, Haru was right, she was sick. It was making her weak but, hopefully the more she slept the better she'd get.

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Unfortunately that wasn't the case, the very next day when Akito tried to wake her up, it didn't work. She was unconscious and burning up. Calmly Akito called for Hatori. For the first time in nine years she was going to talk to a male, or at least so Akito thought. She had no clue about her visits with Haru and if things go as planned she never will. They sat in silence waiting for Hatori to arrive. This was serious, never had she had a fever this severe. A little while later Hatori rushed in the room.

"Akito-sama? What's the problem?" Hatori was confused, they had just had an appointment yesterday which went perfectly fine. Akito was a little ill but, nothing too serious. Akito didn't say anything just moved out of the way. Laying beside Akito's bed was a girl he recognized from long ago. She was sweating and making small sounds in her sleep. He didn't hesitate, he dropped down beside her. A fever this bad at her age was very uncommon…

It most likely was a symptom of something us. He sat her up and leaned her forward, using his stethoscope he listened to her breathing. He heard cracking in her breathing. Worried he glanced up at Akito.

"This is most likely pneumonia… I can't be sure unless we get an X-Ray. I think we should get her to the hospi-" Hatori started to explain only to be cut off.

"No. She does not leave this room." Akito said sternly. Hatori shook his head, why was she so stubborn?

"I can't make a diagnosis without an X-Ray." Hatori explained. Hopefully Akito would meet his eye on this one. There was no way this girl could stay here in her condition.

"You're resourceful, I'm sure you can manage." Akito said with an air of finality. When Hatori opened his mouth to protest Akito cut him off. "No, you will do it here, do you understand me?"

Hatori merely nodded. There was no point in arguing, Akito would never back down. Akito smiled and headed for the door.

"I'm going out… All this arguing is giving me a migraine… Please have this taken care of by the time I get back…" Akito gave him a false smile and closed the door. Hatori sighed and looked back down at the girl. He didn't know much about her, Akito swore him to secrecy the night he saw her when she was young. She didn't say why, just told Hatori that she is very important. If she was so important why didn't Akito let him bring her to the hospital?

Suddenly it all became clear. With an eruption of yellow smoke the girl disappeared and in her place was a small yellow bird, a canary. Hatori stared in shock, he had no idea that someone was born as this… Why wasn't she apart of the Zodiac? More importantly why was she kept hidden. Frustrated he gently picked her up and placed her on her pillow. The only thing he could do with her in this state was to try and lower her temperature.

He took out some simple Tylenol and put it in powder form. He placed it in her beak and tilted her head back. She obediently swallowed and he set her back down. There was nothing more he could do, later he would send for some antibiotics in case it was pneumonia… He would check back tomorrow, hopefully she would be well again. As he packed up he heard her change back, quietly he pulled the blanket up to her chin. With one last look, he headed out the door, he knew that the Sohma's had many dark secrets but, he thought he knew all of them. He was not expecting this.

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A day later, Aimi was sitting in her corner. She woke up in the middle of the night… Naked… She assumed that she must have transformed during her fever, but, she felt a lot better when she woke up. She did however feel extremely tired and has had a lot of trouble with coughing. Akito was out, again. She said that she was going to go pay her friend a visit. It was odd that Akito was so mobile lately. Usually she would stay in this room with Aimi for weeks without leaving. She couldn't help but, be didn't have time to ponder because the door suddenly opened. Aimi watched waiting for Akito to enter but, instead a handsome man with off-green hair came in. Automatically she ran for the closet.

"Wait. I'm here on Akito's orders. I'm your Doctor, Hatori. I was here yesterday as well." The man told her calmly. She paused with her hand on the door and glanced in his direction, not saying a word. He held out his hand and showed her a small bottle of pills. She just stared, she really had no clue what it was. "There for you. There'll make you better."

Cautiously she walked over. She grabbed the pills quickly looking at him suspiciously. One of the few things Akito taught her was how to read. She could make out the words Aimi Sohma and antibiotics… She opened the top and spilled some of the pills into her palm. How will these make her feel better?

"You take one everyday. Even when you feel better make sure to continue taking them." He explained, he seemed curious. He was looking at her like he was examining her. He was probably a little unnerved that she wasn't talking to him or communicating in anyway…

"How?" Aimi asked simply. "How do I 'take' them?"

"You swallow them usually with water…" Hatori told her. She just nodded, usually she would jump at an opportunity to talk to someone but, now she had Haru. This reminded her, that she hadn't seen him since the day before yesterday. She dismissed it, he would probably come after this Doctor left. Then she panicked. Didn't Hatori say that he was here yesterday? She had transformed because of her fever… Did he…?!

"Hatori-sensei? You didn't see me…?" Aimi trailed off. How was she going to ask this. She couldn't just say; 'did you see me transform into a canary?', he would think she was crazy. Thankfully she didn't have to, Hatori nodded.

"I saw you transform, yes." Hatori said. Aimi felt her heart in her throat. This was not good. No one was supposed to see that! Akito is going to be very angry with her… Unless, maybe Aimi could convince him not to Akito what he saw.

"I'm sorry you had to see that but, please you mustn't tell Akito-sama! He'll be really mad at us! I don't want to cause you any trouble." Or myself. She added silently.

"You don't have to worry, I already told Akito and he's fine. He was a little angry at first but, Akito trusts me not to tell." Hatori assured her. Aimi let out a sigh of relief. Akito was okay with this, which was good. She leaned against the wall. Her legs were hurting again, but, that was the last thing on her mind. "If everything else is fine, I'll be going…"

"Hatori-sensei? You don't… You aren't trapped in a room are you?" Aimi asked hesitantly. She knew that the Doctor and Akito were close, maybe he was trapped just like she was. It would be comforting and a little upsetting at the same time. He just shook his head. Aimi smiled at him. "That's good, I wouldn't wish this fate on anyone…"

He smiled sadly at her as if saying a silent 'I'm sorry' before heading out the door. Into a world that Aimi would never be apart of. She was doomed, never to feel the sun's rays on her body or the rain pelting down on her skin… Just the thought made her depressed…


	3. Part 3 Breaking Free

Aimi sat silently with Akito. Akito wasn't really a talkative person, usually they would just spend the whole day doing nothing but, relaxing. Today however, Akito has been talking to her more and more. It's probably because she was scared after hearing that Hatori knew her secret. Normally this would be a cause for alarm but, Akito assured her that they could trust him. So why was she so nervous?

"You know, even though I sometimes say mean things to you, I still love you…" Akito said staring into Aimi's eyes. "We have a bond…"

"I know, Akito-sama, I love you too." Aimi said quietly and without much feeling. Lately she has been questioning whether or not Akito really did love her. Haru only like Aimi and he treated her with more care than Akito ever did… She knew however that it was better to just agree. To keep her happy. Akito nodded and got to her feet.

"I'm going to go pay Hatori a visit. I'll be back later today." Akito said. She gave Aimi a quick smile before exiting the room. She didn't bother standing up and going to the window. She knew that Haru would be there any second cutely knocking on the glass. Still, she wanted to wait for him, he was the only thing keeping her sane. He was her only vice and with everything that had happened. She opened the window and sat on the sill.

"Hey." Haru said with his usually bored expression. Aimi smiled down at him. "I haven't seen you in awhile…"

"I know, I was sick… Also, I met someone. I don't know if you know him but, he's a doctor, he said his name was Hatori." Aimi told him excitedly. She didn't talk to him for very long but, what during that time she could tell that she liked him. Then again as long as no one hit her she would automatically like them. "He gave me some medicine."

She would've told Haru that Hatori say her transform but, she wasn't sure she wanted Haru to know just yet. What if he thought she was a freak and would leave her never to return? On the other hand Hatori saw her and he was surprisingly okay with it. He didn't treat her like a monster… Haru really cared about her, or at least it appeared he did, wouldn't he accept her the way she was? Until she was sure of their relationship it would be wise if she kept it to herself.

"I know Hatori. He's my doctor as well." Haru informed her, Aimi looked at him in surprise. "He's the Sohma family doctor."

"You're a Sohma?" Aimi asked, she really had no idea that he was apart of the same family… She had only ever met one other Sohma in her life and that was Akito… Akito was cursed as the God and Aimi was cursed as the canary… Could Hatsuharu be cursed as well? No, that wouldn't make sense, not every Sohma was cursed…

As she pondered over this she lost her grip. She slipped out of the window and onto the ground. Outside. She looked up at the Haru, he really was tall, it was just hard to tell… You know with her being in the really high window. She stood up in shock. This was her first time ever leaving the room. She could feel the dirt on her bare feet, but, now was not the time to relax. This was breaking the biggest rule that Akito gave her, never under any circumstances leave the room!

"This isn't good!" She stared up at the window. It was at least two arm's length above her. Haru put his hand on her head. She glanced up at him. "What? I need to get back in there!"

"Want to go for a walk?" He asked stupidly. She blinked, was he crazy? There were more important things to take care of. She shook her head and reached for the window. It was just too high.

"I need a lift. Can you help me?" Aimi asked quietly. He just smiled and grabbed her hand. He began pulling her away from the window.

"It'll be a short walk." Haru said. Aimi pulled her hand out of his grip. Why was he acting like this wasn't a big deal?

"There isn't going to be walk. Someone might see me. It's too dangerous." Aimi said, trying to keep her temper in check. Haru glanced up at the cloudy sky and nodded.

"It looks like it's going to rain." He pointed out. Aimi just stared at him, what an odd thing to say. She was panicking and he was worried about the weather? It was so weird she felt herself smile and then laugh. She had never felt so light hearted then she did right there. She had never laughed since she was young. Haru glanced at her and gave her a small smile. He grabbed her hand again. "Want to walk now?"

"Alright, but, a short one, really short…" Aimi said as her laughter died away. She couldn't say no, Haru knew how to make her smile and laugh; he would never do anything to hurt her. She trusted him. They stayed in the bushes until they got further from Akito's. Haru was right, it started raining shortly after they left, this stopped and looked up at the sky. The rain splashed on her face, it was a lot colder than she thought it would be but, nice nonetheless. She felt her eyes sting and water. She was so happy, she couldn't stop the tears from falling.

"Why are you crying?" Haru asked as he leaned in slightly. She smiled up at him.

"I've waited so long to feel the rain, I'm just happy… Thank you, Haru." Aimi said sincerely. Suddenly she heard a loud rumble from the sky. She tensed up, she had no clue what it was… Just like any other bird when she gets frightened she flies away. So, she turned on her heel and began to run. She headed straight for the bushes. She needed to get away from the scary sound, whatever it was. Her wish was granted, she wanted ever since she was young to run in the rain but, not like this. Hours went by before she collapsed in exhaustion, she couldn't run or even walk any longer.

The moon was high up in the sky by now. Her first thought was on Akito, she would be aware of Aimi's disappearance by now. She would also be very angry. It would be comforting to think that if she knew where she was she would have gone back but, the truth was she didn't want to. Even though she was cold and scared she had never felt more alive. Taking a deep breathe she could smell the wet grass and the rain on the tree leaves. Her exhaustion took over and ordered her to sleep.

Quietly she walked over to the nearest tree and forced herself to climb. By the time she got to the top she was close to sleep. She made sure to take her pills she had in her robe. All that running in the rain was probably bad for her health. Drowsiness soon drifted over her and she fell deeply into sleep.

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Shaking the drowsiness out of her eyes Aimi looked up at the blue sky. It was gorgeous, she listened as some of the birds sang a song. Smiling she sat up on her branch and cautiously slid off. She landed on the ground clumsily and fell over. She winced and glanced at her knee, she skinned it… Her first injury outside… First thing was first, she needed to find Haru. He was the only one who could help her at this point. She headed off in a random direction, she stayed low but, made sure to glance into houses. The last thing she wanted was to find herself back at Akito's.

Wandering around was exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. Every time she'd see someone she'd panic and run in the other direction setting her way off course. By noon, or at least it felt like noon, the sun was straight up in the sky, she had had no luck in locating Haru. She had no idea the world was this big… She was beginning to get discouraged but, she pushed on. She glanced into another building and to her shock saw a man with black and white hair. It gave her such a jolt that she found him that she almost ran away again.

Aimi ran towards the glass door and gentle tapped it. He glanced up and she waved. He hurried to the door slid it opened and pulled her inside. She was a little surprised that he was being so forceful. She stopped him and raised an eyebrow.

"What's wrong? I thought you'd be happy to see me." Aimi said, she was worried that he might have been confused why she ran off so quickly. It must have been a little worrying, one second she was standing calmly the next she was jumping over fences trying to hide.

"My mom is home. She'll wonder who you are." He explained simply, he showed her the way upstairs to his room, it was pretty messy. Clothes littered the floor and papers showered his desk. Aimi sat down on the computer chair and watched as he began picking up a little.

"Aren't you wondering why I ran off?" Aimi asked. He glanced up at her holding a sock in his hand.

"I assumed you left the bath running at Akito's…" Haru answered truthfully, Aimi laughed slightly and help organize some papers on his desk.

"No, I got scared, the rumbling from the sky freaked me out." She told him as she grabbed the clothes in his hands and threw them in his already overflowing hamper. "I got lost too, so I spent last night in a tree."

"Why a tree?"

"It's called roosting, birds do that occasionally." Aimi explain as she made his bed. She was used to doing chores around Akito's room; the maids weren't allowed to do that. Then she realized what she said, hastily she turned to look at him and he had a very cute blank expression. "I-I like b-birds! That's w-why I roosted!"

He merely nodded before taking a step forward. Aimi looked at him questioningly and was shocked when he suddenly hugged her. She pushed away, knowing that she was going transform, except nothing happened. She looked at her hands confused. Haru sat down on the bed.

"This makes sense; you were kept away from others because you're cursed." Haru said quietly obviously thinking everything over. She sat down as well and tried to deny but, he put his hand on her head silencing her. "I'm cursed as well."

Aimi's eyes sparkled, she knew it. "You are? That's…"

She was shocked to say the least, Akito never mentioned this to her but, Akito never really told her anything… Thousands of questioned popped into her head. The one that stood out the most was easily, what did he transform into? Or did he even transform? Akito said she was cursed but, she didn't take another form. She didn't know if she should be happy that she wasn't the only one or bitter that Akito kept this from her.

"What are you? I mean do you transform?" Aimi questioned, there was so much going on in her head. He nodded and grabbed a picture from his bedside table. It was just a picture of a bunch of animals lining up outside of a building. He pointed to one of them, a cow.

"That's what I transform into." Hatsuharu told her, she smiled, it suited him so carefree. Even his hair resembled a cow. Off to the side she could see a little house with the silhouette of a cat sleeping. She recognized this now; a long time ago her mother told her the story of the Chinese Zodiac and secretly told her the unknown part about the little canary who wasn't allowed to go to the banquet. She looked up above the building and could just make out what looked like wings, she pointed to it.

"That's me; I'm the canary… My mom told me the story but, she didn't mention that other people were cursed… Does this mean that there is a person for every animal here?" Aimi asked staring at the picture. This was such news to her she couldn't believe that the one person Aimi admired was just like her, cursed. The thought that there might be so many people cursed it was sad but, also comforting.

"Yes, there is a person for every animal. Hatori is the dragon." That made sense that must have been why he didn't freak out when he saw her transform. Most normal people would panic. It probably surprised him but, he had seen it happen before. "Anyways, you should probably take a shower."

He stood up and headed to the closet. He pulled out some clothes and passed it to her before showing her to the bathroom. At least his bathroom was cleaning then his bedroom. A little uncomfortable about using someone else's shower she slowly turned on the hot water. Ten minutes later she left the shower, she tried to have a quick one so Haru's mother wouldn't be suspicious. His clothes were very big on her but, after folding the arms and legs a few times she could feet into them fine.

"Do you like socks?" Haru asked when she got back to his bedroom. She raised an eyebrow, he really did ask weird things. She merely shrugged, Aimi never had a need for socks. He nodded as if understanding what she was thinking. "I've decided you should stay here."

Aimi snapped a look his way. "I can't, it's too risky… Besides you've done enough."

"No, really, I made you bed underneath mine so my mom won't see you. I do have one circumstance though." Hatsuharu paused to build the suspense. "You aren't allowed to talk about Akito, you're starting a new life. Like a tadpole."

"A tadpole?"

"Yeah, they change from tadpole to frog right? A metamorphosis." Haru said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Aimi laughed slightly and hugged him quickly.

"Thank you…"


	4. Part 4 Living in the Barn

**Part 4**

**Living in the Barn**

Living with Haru was fun in many ways and a chore in others. Haru was great, he said the strangest things which always cheer her up no matter what mood she's in. The only real downside was his mother, it was sort of like living at Akito's because as soon as she heard footsteps down the hall she had to dive under the bed. More often than not it was just Haru but, occasionally his mother would come into the room. It would be amazingly hard to explain why a girl was in her son's room. Besides that it was at least fifty times better than living with Akito. She never knew she could be this happy.

Yet every morning he leaves for this thing called school. He explained that it was a place he goes to get bored… It was an odd thing to say why would he go somewhere just to get bored? He's usually gone for a good portion of the day leaving her to wander the house while his mother is at work. He showed her how to work the TV and all the game systems. It wasn't really her cup of tea, truthfully all the moving pictures frightened her a tad. Besides that there was really nothing to do but, housework. She walks around the house picking stuff up and scrubbing counters.

"Are you cleaning again?" Haru asked as he entered through the front door. Aimi looked up and smiled, she had a bottle of window cleaner and a rag in her hands. He smiled back and took the cleaning products out of her hands. "Alright mom will be coming home early so we should probably go back to the room."

Aimi nodded and headed up the stairs. His house was very normal. The furniture all matched and the house was very clean, along the stairwell were pictures of Haru and his family. It was all very efficient and slightly boring actually. Knowing Haru it seemed strange that his house was so normal. She was expecting strange ornaments here and there or something along those lines.

"How was school?" Aimi asked knowing the answer would be 'boring as usual'. He sat down on the bed and leaned back against the pillow.

"It was actually kind of exciting. One of my relatives transformed at school and it was really annoying covering it." Haru answered playing with his fingernail. Aimi sat down at the end of the bed intrigued. She had never transformed in a crowded area before, she could only imagine how frustrating it would be to make up an excuse to why someone disappeared and left their clothes behind.

"What did you do?"

"Luckily the person didn't know who she bumped into and didn't see him transform. My friend Yuki who is also apart of the Zodiac and very popular among the girls there grabbed her by the hands and pulled her the opposite way. We tried to get Momiji, the person who transform, out of the open but, he transformed back right away. So we had to push him into a broom closet until he could change…" Haru told her obviously amused at the thought of it.

Just then she heard the sound of the door and footsteps hurrying towards Haru's room she quickly dropped to the floor and rolled under the bed. Just in time as soon as she was hidden the door opened and someone jumped onto the bed. Aimi just stayed still trying not to breathe for fear that someone would notice her.

"Haru! Are you ready? We're going to Tohru's house tonight! Isn't that exciting?" The voice was light and airy. It sounded male but, she couldn't be too sure.

"Sounds exciting." Haru agreed humouring him. Aimi knew that name, Tohru this was the girl everyone talked about at Akito's. "I don't think I can go though."

"What? Why?" The person whined, it sounded like he was pouting. This person was acting like a little kid. Maybe he was?

"I have things I need to look after." Haru answered. Aimi instantly knew it was about her. Haru wasn't going to his friends house because of her. It was sweet but, Aimi didn't want Haru rescheduling his life for her. Suddenly she heard a thud and looked to her right. The person who she could know see was a boy just rolled off the bed and was staring at her. He had light brown eyes which were blinking at her obviously confused as to why a girl was under the bed. His hair was a very pretty golden blonde.

"Haru! You're hiding girls under your bed! That's why you don't want to come. So you can have time alone with your girlfriend, right?" This boy said laughing and staring at Aimi. He grabbed her hand and began pulling her out from under the bed. "Don't be shy! I want to meet you!"

Aimi followed him out scared. The last thing she needed was to transform, she tried to keep her distance. She sat on the bed ashamed that she got caught and a little worried that this child would run to Akito… The boy was smiling at her, it made her a little nervous, why was he so happy.

"I'm Momiji Sohma a relative of Haru." He told her. She snapped a look at Haru, they were just talking about this kid. He was apart of the Zodiac. She wasn't sure if she should introduce herself. It could end badly.

"This is Tsubame-san." Haru answered for her. He was obviously worried about the same thing.

"Oh! Tsubame, that's a nice name!" This boy, Momiji commented with a cute look on his premature face. Aimi glanced sideways at Haru at a loss for words, he merely shrugged. Suddenly the boy let out a small twinkling laugh. "You don't speak much do you?"

"Oh, um!" Aimi said, hastily. "It's nice to meet you…"

He laughed again. Aimi narrowed her eyes slightly. What was so funny? Ignoring it she shook her hair out of her eyes just as Momiji bounced to his feet.

"I know! Tsubame should come to Tohru's with us!" Momiji decided on a whim. He looked proud as if it was the cleverest idea ever.

"Do you want to?" Haru asked his blank eyes focused on her. Aimi merely blinked. This was a bad idea. How exactly would she get out of the Estate without someone recognizing her?

"I don't know…" Aimi began to protest. She glanced apologetically at the boy when to her horror she saw a pout on his face.

"Please! Haru won't go without you!" Momiji whined. Aimi still shook her head. Even though she wanted to she couldn't. It would be nice to walk in the sun and to exit the Estate but, the risk was too high. She heard something moving in the closet and she glanced to see Haru rummaging through the clutter. She raised a questioning eyebrow as he emerged with a pair of oversized sunglasses and a large sunhat.

"We could be like thieves and use a disguise." Haru suggested obviously excited to get her out into the world.

"Why do we need a disguise? Is she running from the law!?" Momiji asked his eyes wide with anticipation.

"No." Haru said calmly. "She's grounded and if someone sees her and reports to her mother; Tsubame might be thrown in the dungeon."

Dungeon? That was a little extreme there was no way Momiji would fall for that. However when she turned around she felt Momiji quickly pull the hat over her blonde hair and fasten the glasses on her face. She looked through the dim room to see a horrified look on his face.

"We must sneak her out! We can't let the mean Queen lock away the Princess!" Momiji said pulling her to her feet. Queen? Princess? What on earth was he talking about. However she didn't argue as the two of them stealthily took her out the back door and into the bushes. She wondered vaguely if everyone in the world was odd like these two. Laughing quietly she followed them through the underbrush and slowly they made their way towards the entrance. They had a few close calls but, Momiji was being extra careful taking his role as a hero very seriously. Before Aimi realized it they snuck out through a hole in the wall and were out on the street. She brushed the leaves and twigs from her hair as she took her first glimpse of the world.

She wasn't sure she liked it. In the distance were large buildings scraping the edge of the sky. Thickets of smoke appeared here and there dark and menacing. She could hear a lot of noises and could almost feel the tension. Aimi felt Haru touch her shoulder.

"Don't worry and don't run unless I say to." Haru whispered to her. She shivered as his warm breath caressed her ear. Nodding mutely she followed the two as they headed down the street. It was a strange walk. Momiji talked the whole way all Aimi really had to do was add a 'yes' or 'hmm' every once and awhile. As they neared the house questions began to pop into her head. Who was this Tohru? It seemed like she was a sore subject with Akito but, Momiji seemed to idolize her. Aimi tried to visualize her. She pictured a warm face surrounded by beautiful wavy black hair and large green eyes.

They arrived at the house. It seemed normal enough. Two stories, paper doors, windows, you know, a house. Aimi bit her lips as nervous feelings radiated through her. Momiji seemed to notice because he grabbed her hand.

"Don't worry, Tsubame. I know everyone will love you!" Momiji said as he opened the door, not bothering to knock. "Tohru we're here! I brought Haru and his girlfriend!"

Aimi cringed slightly. Great. Starting off her relationship with Tohru based on a lie… A girl walked around the corner who she assumed was Tohru. She was not what she expected. Her hair was long and brown and her eyes were a delightful shade of blue. At least Aimi was right about the warm face.

"Oh! Hello! You're Haru's girlfriend?" Tohru asked pleasantly. Aimi shook her head ready to clarify.

"No. I'm his friend, Tsubame." Aimi explained her voice quiet and full of shyness. Tohru smiled and nodded as she led them to the dining room.

"I hope you like Hamubagu. I could prepare something else of course if you want." Tohru said hastily her forehead sporting a few beads of sweat. That was good. It comforted Aimi to know that she wasn't the only one nervous.

"No. No. It's fine!" Aimi assured her. Just then three other people walked into the room. She felt herself tense. Men. Haru gave her shoulder a squeeze and leaned in to whisper to her.

"Don't worry. All three of them are cursed." He breathed. Aimi nodded feeling a tad relaxed. She glanced back at the males. They stared back at her just as curious. They were all quite tall. The tallest had strange orange hair and menacing red eyes. The other one had violet hair and gorgeous purple eyes. The oldest had black hair and a familiar face. With a jolt of fear she recognized as Shigure the man who almost caught a glimpse of her a long time ago. She could feel her palms sweating.

"This is a _friend_ of Haru's. Her name is Tsubame." Momiji explained smiling and putting emphasis on 'friend'. Aimi just nodded her eyes locked on Shigure. "The grumpy one is Kyo! The old one is Shigure and that's Yuki! They're Sohmas just like me!"

"Hello. Will you be joining us for dinner?" The one named Yuki asked politely. Aimi smiled trying to shake off the feeling of paranoia. There was little to no chance this man could know who she was.

"I would love to. Everything smells delicious." Aimi answered as naturally as possible. Tohru smiled happily and headed into the kitchen. When she returned her arms were full of amazing food. Kyo and Yuki hurried to lighten the load and set the table. Glancing over Aimi noticed Shigure looking sideways at her.

"Let's eat!" Tohru announced. Glad for a distraction Aimi sat down at the square table next to Haru. She fiddled with her chopsticks. She was looking into this far too much. Shigure must be curious. He probably has many questions… That's it. She told her self to calm down and she did as she dished up.

"Can you pass the rice, Aimi?" Shigure asked innocently. Aimi's heart started to race as she met Shigure's eye. He was giving her a meaningful look. She felt her face grow red. How… Why… How could he know who she was? This was impossible! She glanced at Haru. His face was calm but, his fist were clenched. The edges of her vision blurred as her mind raced. Would she have to run for it? Her best hope would be the front door. Then what about Haru? She couldn't leave him to face Akito's wrath on his own! She looked up at him again. He met her eye this time and she felt his hand on her own under the table. What was she going to do?

_Hello everyone! My name is Tay! I really enjoy writing this story but, I would really enjoy some reviews. It helps me know what I'm writing is halfway decent so please review. Thanks._


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